Chapter 393

Shut up.

Gu Lingjiang lightly spat out two words, his gaze falling on Lin Feng.

His gaze was calm, without pity or disgust, like that of an experienced hunter observing a creature he had never seen before.

Tell me, what's going on?

Lin Feng felt that under that gaze his very soul was laid bare; he dared not conceal anything, and with his last strength he recounted his experiences in full detail.

From how he had saved money for eight years, then taken on a thirty‑year loan to rent that heaven‑grade spiritual root.

From how he cultivated day and night, believing that successful foundation building would let him ascend straight to heaven.

Then came the endless 'spiritual root lodging fee', 'spiritual root consumption fee', 'spiritual root maintenance fee', plus the foundation‑building registration fee as high as eighteen thousand eight hundred eighty‑eight immortal crystals.

Finally, there was his default, the forced seizure of his spiritual root, and the despair of bearing an even heavier debt.

He spoke in a confused, tangled way; at the end, all the grievances and resentment pent up in his heart turned into tears, leaving him unable to stop crying.

A long silence.

Huh?

Gu Zhan was the first to break the silence, but now his face was full of bewildered expression,

Did I hear wrong? The spiritual root is rented? Cultivation costs money? Even taking a breath means having to look at others' faces?

He had lived so many years, fought in countless worlds, yet had never heard such an absurd thing!

In his view, spiritual energy is right there, techniques are right there—if you have the ability, go seize it, take it, cultivate it!

How come in this world, cultivation turns into doing business?

Tsk tsk, these bastards are darker than our Gu Family.

Gu Zhan, axe on shoulder, sincerely sighed.

Back then, our Gu Family's 'Zhou Tian Star Dipper Verification of Capital Great Array' was merely collecting an entrance fee and screening franchisees.

Compared to this world, it was practically philanthropy.

It's not darkness, it's stupidity.

Gu Xue Dao, who had been keeping his eyes closed to nurture his spirit, suddenly opened them and coldly spat out four words.

He looked at Gu Lingjiang:

This kind of draining-the-pond-to-fish approach cuts off all hope for the lower strata, yet gives them hope, letting them climb up while bit by bit plundering the value they create; the whole world becomes a stagnant pool, and if this continues, heaven‑chosen talents will vanish, the strong will see their line end, and ultimately it will only lead to self‑destruction. The Now Faction: Zang Tian Ge simply wants to witness this scene.

Qing Luan also gave a slight nod.

She is one of Gu Yuan's attendants, having occasionally listened to his guidance; her perspective has long been different:

The young master once said, 'True monopoly is not blocking every road, but giving you a path that seems walkable yet never ends, making you exhaust all your value in endless hope and despair.'

It is obvious that this Ruin‑Heaven world has taken this model to the extreme.

Never mind the principles—just hearing it makes me angry!

Gu Zhan's explosive temper flared; he stamped his foot and the hard ground instantly cracked,

Senior Elder, stop pondering—just tell me where the Immortal Dynasty's lair is; I'll split it with one axe and slaughter everyone inside, and everything will be settled.

Lin Feng trembled all over from the terrifying killing aura bursting from Gu Zhan, nearly fainting.

That axe‑wielding brute… wants… wants to cleave the Immortal Dynasty in two?

Is he talking nonsense?

The Immortal Dynasty is the supreme existence that rules over the thirty‑three heavens of the Ruin‑Heaven world!

Rumor has it that the ruler of the Immortal Dynasty is a transcendent immortal who has surpassed tribulation‑ascension!

Buffoon.

Gu Xue Dao commented bluntly.

You say who's a buffoon?!

Gu Zhan glared with his bull eyes.

Enough.

Gu Lingjiang raised his hand, stopping the two troublemakers' quarrel.

His gaze was deep, sweeping over the hive‑like world barriers layered in the skies of the Ruin‑Heaven world.

Finally, it came to rest on the highest layer, the thirty‑third heaven shrouded in thick immortal qi that could not dissipate.

This world is not simple.

Gu Lingjiang's voice was low,

The Now Faction: Zang Tian Ge's star chart marks this realm as 'Special Grade'; its danger exceeds that of most worlds with a seated Immortal King, for they would rather spend countless eons to slowly infiltrate than act directly—this shows that here lies something even they find troublesome.

If we were like you and stormed the door directly, we would likely trigger some unknown restriction or awaken a slumbering old monster.

The Patriarch is busy; he can't dash about like a fire‑fighting comrade. If we left everything to him, why would he keep us around?

The Senior Elder's words calmed Gu Zhan down.

Though he is straightforward, he also knows what scale of organization the Now Faction: Zang Tian Ge is.

Even those lawless scoundrels dare not confront it head‑on; there must be a serious problem.

Then… what should we do?

Gu Zhan scratched his head,

We can't just stand by, can we? In this damned place, even staying a moment makes my whole body feel awful.

Gu Lingjiang did not answer; he narrowed his eyes slightly, exchanged a glance with Qing Luan beside him, and at that moment they each had a different thought.

Since this world takes immortal crystals as its core, with all its rules and order built upon the monopoly of money and loans…

Gu Lingjiang spoke slowly, his tone revealing an undisguised deep calculation.

Then let us destroy the economic foundation of this world at its root.

Qing Luan, understanding tacitly, took up the words,

「As long as their financial system completely collapses and order falls into chaos, we can naturally force out the world's hidden strongest. 」

Gu Zhan and Gu Xue Dao listened, their faces full of bewilderment.

「What economic entity? What financial collapse? 」

Gu Zhan stared with bull eyes, his face full of obvious stupidity,

「No, it's just fighting; why drag business into it? 」

Although Gu Xue Dao didn't speak, his tightly furrowed brow and the hand gripping his blood-red long blade also revealed that he, too, didn't understand what riddle these two were playing.

As Gu Yuan's personal attendant, Qing Luan often heard the young master muttering strange words; through constant exposure, she instead instantly understood what the grand elder wanted to do.

She coolly glanced at the two and explained: 「The young master said, to deal with capital, we must use capital's means to play them to death. 」

「What exactly should we do? 」 Gu Zhan anxiously scratched his ears and cheeks.

「Let's first set up a chamber of commerce. 」

Gu Linjiang brushed off nonexistent dust from his sleeves, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful arc.

Afterward, he crouched down and looked at Lin Feng, who lay slumped in the muddy water; in those eyes that seemed able to perceive all things, a strange light flickered.

「Your name is Lin Feng? 」

「Yes… yes, immortal. 」 Lin Feng replied in a trembling voice.

「Do you want to take back your spiritual root, principal and interest? 」

Lin Feng suddenly lifted his head; in those dead‑gray eyes, an unbelievable light burst forth.

「Yes! I've dreamed of it! 」

「Very good. 」

Gu Linjiang stood up, pointing at Lin Feng on the ground and said,

「Then from today on, you will be the one to take charge of our chamber of commerce… uh, no, using the young master's words, you should be called a 'legal person'. 」